Garleton Castle is a courtyard castle

Castle

A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...

, dating from the sixteenth century, about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of Haddington

Haddington, East Lothian

The Royal Burgh of Haddington is a town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is the main administrative, cultural and geographical centre for East Lothian, which was known officially as Haddingtonshire before 1921. It lies about east of Edinburgh. The name Haddington is Anglo-Saxon, dating from the 6th...

, just north of the Garleton Hills

Garleton Hills

The Garleton Hills, in East Lothian, Scotland, are a range of igneous hills, to the north of Haddington, formed largely from Carboniferous tuffs and trachytic lavas. Although the highest point is only , the hills are conspicuous throughout the county...

 in East Lothian

East Lothian

East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....

, Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

.

Structure

Garleton Castle once comprised three blocks within a curtain wall, but the main L-plan tower, which had two wings, is mostly demolished. While the second block has been converted to a farm cottage, the rectangular third block is still nearly complete. This block has two storeys, and a garret with crowstepped gables

Gables

Gables may refer to:* Gables, portion of walls between the lines of sloping roofs* Ken Gables , Major League Baseball pitcher* Gables, Nebraska, an unincorporated community in the United States...

. Other features are the round stair-tower, and the gunloops piercing the walls. The gunloops are of the splayed variety, characteristic of the 16th century. The castle is rubble-built. Some of the curtain wall survives, and a round tower.

The interior, which has been altered considerably, includes a vaulted kitchen, equipped with a wide-arched fireplace, and another room with a canopied fireplace. The remains of the castle are protected as a category B listed building and as a Scheduled Ancient Monument

Scheduled Ancient Monument

In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...

.

History

Garleton Castle belonged to the Lindsay

Clan Lindsay

-Origins of the Clan:There is currently no known proven path pertaining to the origin of the Clan Lindsay. However, several possible theories have been advanced over the years. First is the theory proposed in 1769 by biographer/historian, Richard Rolt, in which he claimed that the Lindsays were...

 family. It subsequently passed to the Towers

Tower (surname)

Several people have been named Tower:* Charlemagne Tower , American lawyer, soldier, and capitalist* Charlemagne Tower, Jr. , American diplomat* Joan Tower , American composer of classical music...

 of Innerleithen

Innerleithen

Innerleithen is a small town in the committee area of Tweeddale, in the Scottish Borders.-Etymology:The name "Innerleithen" comes from the Scottish Gaelic meaning "confluence of the Leithen", because it is here that the river joins the Tweed. The prefix "Inner-/Inver-" is common in many Scottish...

, and was sold by them to the Setons

Seton (surname)

Seton is the surname of a prominent Scottish Lowlands family, and may refer to:Hereditary Titles:* The Baronet of Olivestob* The Baronet of Windygoul* The Baronets of Abercorn* The Baronets of Garleton* The Baronets of Pitmedden* The Lords Seton...

. Sir John Seton of Garleton was given the property by his father George Seton, 3rd Earl of Winton

George Seton, 3rd Earl of Winton

George Seton, 3rd Earl of Winton was a notable Royalist and Cavalier, the second son of Robert Seton, 1st Earl of Winton and 6th Lord Seton, by his spouse Margaret, daughter of Hugh Montgomerie, 3rd Earl of Eglinton....

. By 1885 it could be described as a fragmentary ruin.

Tradition

It is said the building was haunted by an apparition of a man at one stage, while the sound of heavy footsteps is said to have been heard. It is possible that Sir David Lyndsay

David Lyndsay

Sir David Lyndsay of the Mount, was a Scottish Lord Lyon and poet of the 16th century, whose works reflect the spirit of the Renaissance.-Biography:...

, who wrote Ane Pleasant Satyre of the Thrie Estaitis

Ane Pleasant Satyre of the Thrie Estaitis

A Satire of the Three Estates is a satirical morality play in Middle Scots, written by makar Sir David Lyndsay. The play was first performed outside in the playing field in June 1552 during the Midsummer holiday in Cupar, Fifeshire where the action took place under Castle Hill...

was born in an earlier building at this site, in 1486.

External links

• Artist's reconstruction of Garleton Castle